Brackenridge House Bed and Breakfast

We stayed at the Brackenridge House for 7 nights. The location was perfect. It was in the middle of the beautiful King William District and a short walk to the riverwalk, and about a 15-20 minute walk to the touristy part of the riverwalk. It is in a very quiet neighborhood. The only real noise we heard was an occasional train blowing it's horn. Lily was a wonderful hostess. The breakfasts she made us each day were delicious, filling, and diverse. She is also a very nice, sweet woman. We didn't ask for much, but she provided us with what we asked for. She even gave us a portable electric heater for the room when we told her we get cold pretty easily. We asked her if we could check-out at about 11:30 instead of 11:00 and she said we could stay up until 12:30. When we left, she greeted us with hugs and thanked us for staying at her house.The only complaint we had is that we had to keep our shampoos/conditioner on the shower floor as there was no other place to put them. If we ever come back to San Antonio, we would absolutely stay here again. If you are looking for a quiet place to stay in a nice, safe area with a great hostess and delicious breakfasts, then the Brackenridge House is the way to go.

My wife and I stayed 3 nights in the Wren's Nest during the first week of Nov 2025. We had the place pretty much to ourselves. The room was clean, and the bed was comfortable. The decor was nice and the antique furniture was a good match for the room/house. The kitchenette was a plus. Off-street parking was nice to have. Breakfast was very good. We ate our breakfast on the front porch watching the neighbors walk their dogs and push children in strollers while the blue jays, grackles and squirrels scampered in the live oaks overhead. Lily was very responsive to any requests we had and gave us good ideas for things to do in San Antonio. Pros: 1) The neighborhood was gorgeous. It seemed like every house we drove past was unique and historical. Wished we had more time to spend wandering the neighborhood. 2) Close to downtown San Antonio and the River Walk. We used Lyft/Uber ($6-8) because we are lazy and didn't want to pay for parking, but definitely walkable (less than a mile) to downtown. 3) Breakfast was excellent and served promptly. The menu varied each day. Cons: Not many, but if I had to nitpick...1) It's not as quiet as an Amish-country getaway. You are in a city. You hear people out and about and train whistles in the distance. Nothing that woke me up, but don't expect complete silence. 2) The driveway is a little tight. No problem for a standard car but an Excursion would have a tight fit. 3) No common room/eating area. One of the things we like about staying at B&Bs is meeting other people and breaking bread together. There are common areas on the front and back porch, but nowhere for all occupants to gather together. Bottom line...if you are coming to San Antonio for a few days, the Brackenridge House B&B is a great alternative to staying at a hotel downtown. You'll actually feel like you are part of a unique neighborhood rather than being stuck in a corporate hotel that could be in any city, anywhere in the country. And the price with free parking and breakfast included is probably cheaper than staying at a hotel downtown, at least it was for us.

The Brackenridge Bed and Breakfast was a great place to stay with a great location! Down at the corner you can go left one block to some great restaurants and go right a few blocks to the Riverwalk. Lily was a great host and very accomodating. She told us great places to go and gave us restaurant recomendations. We were in the Cardinal room and our room was equipped with everything you need plus drinks and snacks. Breakfast was brought to your room each day and was fabulous.It was quiet, comfortabke and clean. We parked behind the house and had a private entrance. I would not stay anywhere else in San Antonio.

We thoroughly enjoyed our time at the Brackenridge B&B in October 2025 for five nights. Lily is gracious, accommodating and caring. She prepared nourishing and tasty (not fussy) breakfasts including fruit, sausage, orange juice and rotating featured items like waffles, muffins and apple French toast. She even accommodated dietary needs without our asking. 🥰 As others have noted, this is a clean, comfortable older home centrally located just south of the River Walk in the King William Historic District. This allows for great access to downtown via a short walk while providing access to charming restaurants, shops and services. It’s a safe and quiet neighborhood with friendly people, grand Victorian homes and shade trees. What more could you ask for? (We would have even walked the mile or so to the Alamo, but it was hot that day, so we drove.) We were there during First Friday when shop owners, artists and craftspeople and restaurants open their hearts and doors. And it was extra special because it fell during Oktoberfest! Such fun to join with others to do the Chicken Dance while enjoying bratwurst, potato salad and seasonal beer. We will definitely stay here again. If you’re in the Wren’s Nest Suite, look at the Gibson Girl print on the wall. You’ll swear it’s Lily herself. Thank you again for a lovely time and for your warm hospitality, Lily and Roland. - Lauren and Shawn

My husband and I really enjoyed our stay at this historic B&B! The accommodations were perfect and hostess Lily very attentive. We love the front balcony and back deck for relaxing! Lots to see, eat and enjoy at the nearby Riverwalk! Great walking neighborhood -checking out all the beautiful historic homes while enjoyed the shaded park like community.

We came to San Antonio to show Texas to friends from Massachusetts. I found Lily to be very pleasant on the phone before we arrived. Our vehicle was packed with, not only our things, but also had to accommodate the luggage from our friends when we picked them up from the airport. I asked if we could check in a bit early to off load before we met their plane. The answer was no, but she did allow us to store part of our gear by the stairs on the first floor. That worked. The house is old as are all the big houses in King William. It needs a fresh coat of paint on the front to be a bit more inviting. The rooms are suites and the arrangement with bedroom and kitchenette/ bathroom is really nice and offers space for a couple to easily enjoy. The upholstered furniture and rugs are old and could use a fresh up, but the bathrooms are very nice and new and the towels are thick and clean. L A few notes about comfort and safety. The air conditioning is not controlled by the occupants of the rooms and the ceiling fans were not enough to keep us comfortable at the pre-set temperature for the house. The shower has no grab bar. I slipped twice, but was able to recover. Since many guests might be older, like me, this should be remedied. The toilet, though new, runs off and on and it is noticeable at night when a guest is trying to sleep. The service was mixed. Accommodating as to fresh towels, emptying trash and setting up a day bed and providing a map with comments and directions for us to find things to do. But, if you need any flexibility on check in or out, you will have difficulty. I am sitting on the porch writing this because my husband is at the airport with our guests. I was told I had to be out by 11:30. As far as I can tell, there’s no real attempt to accommodate, and today, I couldn’t even store my luggage by the stairs for no more than an hour. Hence, a drop in rating from possibly a 4 to a 3!

Was a great traditional Bed and Breakfast almost like the ones I remember as a kid. You actually meet the host, who was great, and are served a homemade breakfast. Good location, a bit far from town (like 1 mile) if you are wanting to walk to everything, but there's always Uber. Not far from the river walk where you can hop on some Ebike rentals and head south to all the old missions-very cool. Highly recommend this place unless you like boring, mod, no-character modern hotels.

My husband and I had a wonderful stay! The hosts Roland and Liliana were super nice and recommended places to eat and things to go. The room was meticulously clean and the beds and comforters were lush and cozy. We are planning to come again!

My wife and I stayed at the Brackenridge house B &B. We read the reviews which were mixed. We loved it. We stayed in the Wrens nest. The room as you come in the front door to the left. We stayed Saturday through Monday. Each breakfast was different; waffles, bananas, nuts, scrambled eggs, orange juice, and sausage, all cooked perfectly and tasted fantastic. Next day Eggs Benedict, English muffins, and watermelon, just great. It was so clean and felt like home that my wife and I plan to stay again.

I booked this b&b for my parents as a gift. I specifically booked (and paid for) the Goldfinch Suite and even called a few weeks in advance to make sure everything was set for their stay. When they arrived, they were given a different (smaller and lower priced) room that did not have all of the amenities that they were expecting. Since they were not the ones who made the reservation they did not feel they could question it, but when I called after I found out, my calls were never answered or returned.

This lovely B&B in the King William District is a real find. It's just a block from Southtown and a 10-minute stroll to the Riverwalk. Accommodations are comfortable and Lily and Roland, the innkeepers, are gracious and welcoming. The second-story breakfast terrace overlooking historic homes along Madison gives you the sense you're dining in a treehouse. And the three-course breakfast (warm-from-the-oven muffin, fresh fruit and then a hot entree) offers the perfect level of fuel for your day in SA. We stayed in the least expensive room. the Cardinal Room. It's just off the inn's beautiful and private little swimming pool, which was a wonderful escape that we made use of every morning and afternoon. The room turned out to be a good choice, though folks who want a bit more quiet may prefer to stay in one of the street-facing rooms. (The inn's hot tub is located on the deck right outside the room, and if folks are in the hot-tubbin' mood, you might feel like they're all uninvited guests in your bedroom. And if there's a big game on, the crowd at The Friendly Spot, the icehouse located behind the B&B, will make their presence known loudly and often.) But these are nits. The location is ideal for morning walks or runs in the King William District or on the park-like paths that hug the river. The hosts even stock the room with little chocolates. It's a great place to stay in SA, and we hope to return soon.

Nice find! I've stayed in other bed and breakfasts that were bigger so the smaller size threw me a little, but the amenities were great! The room was nice and clean and the bed was super comfortable. We stayed in the cardinal room and had no trouble with noise. We did stay on a week night though so maybe the party noise others complain about is mostly on the weekends. The ladies that ran it were super nice and the breakfast was very good. We also enjoyed meeting the other couples staying there. Overall, the experience was nice, and a great spot to spend a few days in the city.

My husband and I absolutely love this little Bed and Breakfast!! We came here on our wedding night just over a year ago and then booked the same room for our one year anniversary last month. They have absolutely beautiful rooms with Victorian-style furniture and a sweet ambience. We stayed in the Mockingbird Suite for both our stays (aka their honeymoon suite) and had a great experience both times. The room was clean, bed was very comfortable, there was little to no noise since I believe there was only one other room rented out one of the times we were there and the other time it was just us there. There's a little deck out back where you can sit and enjoy some tea or coffee that was available in your room (courtesy of the bed and breakfast, even during COVID!) and they even have a hot tub (although we didn't use it since it was really cold either time we were there). Some people may not like the older style and some of the quaintness of the place, but we absolutely loved it!! The owner (Rose, I believe) is also very sweet, flexible, and accommodating!! She even left us some cute/romantic movies to choose from if we wanted, since she knew it was our anniversary and some sweets, snacks, and champagne. There was also wine, water, and soda in the fridge, which was really nice. I recommend you give this bed and breakfast a try; I'm pretty sure you'll love it! We look forward to staying there again soon!

Stay away from this poorly insulated house! We visited in late December for a couple of days. Even with the heat on full blast, we were chilled to our bones when it was 40-50F outside. Did I mention there was a draft? Because we spent so much time huddling under the blankets, we didn't spend much time really enjoying the room. We were in Goldfinch.

I want to reiterate a couple of important points about this B&B and its owners: The location, in the heart of the King William district, is a plus. About a mile walk from the touristy part of the downtown area (Riverwalk, Alamo, etc.). You'll pass Hemisfair Park and the Tower of the Americas on the way. A beautiful, historic neighborhood. The couple who runs it, Roland and Lily, are super nice and very accommodating. Tasty and interesting breakfasts served daily at 9AM. The Mockingbird Suite is huge (two rooms), pretty and comfortable. The free WiFi was unexpected and appreciated. The not-so-good: It's very noisy at night. The ear plugs provided by the owners don't block the frequent train whistles (all night) and nearby icehouse partiers (until 12:30 every night). Neither of us enjoyed one good night's sleep. There's no pool available for guests. We'd recommend it to others, and would think about staying here again because of the nice owners and great location, but the noise issue really puts a damper on things.

What a fabulous place to stay while in San Antonio! Indulgent for one and romantic for two, yet great for small families. Lily and Roland are wonderful hosts and will give you great tips about places to eat and visit. It is ideally located by the river walk for wonderful strolls. I even just loved sitting out on the veranda under ceiling fans listening to the cicadas and enjoying the scenery. You will love having their gourmet breakfast out on the balcony. The rooms are beautifully decorated with bird themes. I loved the mockingbird suite (used to be the bridal suite). I hated to leave and will definitely be back!

My husband and I decided to go to San Antonio for our anniversary and picked this b&b to stay in and it was awesome! Great location for the riverwalk but nice and quiet in the evenings. Earplugs were provided for the trains that come by but it wasn't a problem for us. The two mornings we stayed here came with 3 course breakfast: fruit, main course (we had an omelet one morning) and mango/lemon sherbet ice cream. Service was fantastic, and next time we return to San Antonio we will be staying here again.

King William District was perfect for me. The pool pictured must have been turned into a parking lot. Host, Lilly, was very accommodating, and breakfast was tasty! I will return.

This was our 4th or 5th visit to the Brackenridge House, but our first since the change in ownership. The House changed ownership back in the 20011 timeframe, but we have been busy. This review is more for those that stayed here prior to the turnover. When I arrived, I was surprised to find out that since the previous owners sold their place which was next door, the B&B no longer has access to the pool, which was absolutely phenomenal. I called the current owners to inquire and was told that no, they didn't have access etc. However, she pointed out correctly that she could not control all of the sites on the internet. I had used a site which lead me to believe that nothing had changed. I recommend that they put something on their website so people who see pictures of the pool are not mislead. The second issue was actually highlighted in some of the previous posts. There is a challenge with the HVAC in the House. We requested the Cardinal Room which was previously known as Charlie's Room. My wife and I had previously stayed in this room in October twice and once in the early spring. Each time, the room was very comfortable. When I arrived, the room was 79 degrees with the AC running on full. It was 98 outside. The owner seemed not to believe me and stated that it was because the door was opened etc when we were moving things in from the car. Needless to say, at 900 PM it was still 78. 78 degrees is a bit hard to sleep in. However, in fairness, the owner did come to the BB and offered to move us to another room. We moved to another room, and with two additional portable fans, with ceiling fans etc, it was okay. The rest of the weekend was rather uneventful. I gave this review two stars in an attempt to be as fair as I could. However, in fairness to others, the BB is a shadow of its former self. If you are planning a trip in the spring or fall, and you were going to be out on the town most of the time, then I would recommend staying here. If you are a previous patron during the era of the previous owners and pool, you will be disappointed..there isn't much in the way of spoons, plates or glasses in the rooms anymore, the little extras that the previous owners used to put in the rooms are gone etc and it's just not as charming or warm.

My wife and I stayed here for our 6 year anniversary and we had a great time. We were greeted by the former owners who were house sitting for the current owners. We checked in at noon and once we got situated we went straight to the pool. The brackenridge house has only 5 rooms and max capacity is roughly 10 guests so the worry of a crowded pool was non-existent. We were the only ones at the pool and enjoyed every minute of it. The pool was heated but not to the point of being uncomfortable. We read for an hour or so before starting the day. The room did have a bit of a different smell to it but the house is old so we just used a little air freshener and that seemed to take care of it. The breakfast was pretty good and very filling. overall we loved the house and exclusivity of the pool, only once was there another couple there and the pool was large enough that both could swim or relax. Our concern with staying in a hotel was the pools would be overcrowded with kids and all close at 10:00 or so. We swam early and late, without any kids running around or other couples causing a distraction. If you are looking for a quiet place that doesn't allow children and is geared towards relaxation, the Brackenridge House is the place. We will be staying here again!!

We first stayed here 11 years ago and returned a few weeks ago. This is a very comfortable and inviting B&B. The breakfasts are incredible. Close to downtown and in the lovely King George historic district.

We bought a deal on Living Social for this B&B, as we were already planning a trip to San Antonio this month. Upon our late arrival that evening we were able to get into our room easily. it was so cute and comfortable and we felt as if we were in our own small apartment. Since it was incredibly hot, we opted to take a cab to and from the Riverwalk and it was only $5. Well worth it to show up to our destination without being worn out from the walk. The breakfast, as mentioned in other reviews, was wonderful. I want her recipes! We enjoyed the hot tub one evening, yes - even in 100 degree temps, it was very relaxing, even if for 15 minutes. Lily and Roland were very accommodating and thought of every little thing you would need on your trip. One little thing I will make note of that really impressed me, was that they had a black washcloth for washing your make up off at night. I appreciated this, because I always hate ruining white towels with eye make up. Just another sign that they pay attention to the details. We will definitely be back and refer our friends / family to visit soon.

If I could give a rating above 5 stars I would absolutely do so! 10 stars! 10 stars! :) my love and I decided to visit San Antonio after our original vacation plans changed, and we are soooo glad we decided to go to San Antonio and stay at Brackenridge House. It was our first time staying at a bed and breakfast, and I have to say we were so incredibly impressed with literally everything, especially the beautiful room that we stayed in. We chose the Hummingbird room, which was located downstairs. The room is located in the back of the house, which gave us privacy. The innkeepers Lily and Roland were spectacular. Lily prepared breakfast every morning promply at 9am. It was very tasty. We opted to eat breakfast outside on the front balcony, and it was so relaxing! We purchased the cookbook that has all of the recipes that she cooked. She served a three course meal, which included fresh baked muffins, fresh fruit and one morning we had spinach quiche, and another morning we had apple french toast. Yummy! Carlos, my other half, said that he was still hungry and that the portions weren't large enough. It gave us the opportunity to get a snack early in the day at the Riverwalk. Lily and Roland had earplugs in the room because trains go by, but it really wasnt a big deal. We didnt have to use them, but it was nice that they had them to offer us. The b & b had restaurants around the corner that we walked to. Titos mexican food and the filling station, among others that we didnt have the chance to frequent. We plan on going back to SA before the year is out, and we will be staying at the Brackenridge House again. Thank you Lily and Roland for making our first trip to San Antonio so incredibly memorable! We will be back!!

Beautiful old school charm, loved it, so relaxing and service was better then any 5 star hotel i have stayed at. A must go for San Antonio bed and breakfast.

We came here for our anniversary and to just get away ! We loved this place ! Quiet, well maintained, excellent service, they have thought of everything. Lilly & Jenny were wonderful and the breakfast was perfect on the 2nd floor porch. I cannot say enough great things about this place. We stayed in the cardinal room and it was wonderful ! Very clean and very comfortable. Close to river walk, Hemisphere Tower, and some really quaint and wonderful restaurants, shops, and historical things to visit ! Thank you Lilly for helping it be a perfect anniversary, we'll be back for sure !

We did not stay -- We had a reservation for a Friday, Saturday and Sunday in April. We got back from a Cuba trip a few weeks earlier and both were very sick so could not make the trip. I canceled with 10 days notice and I realized their cancellation policy is 14 days. They did not give us the benefit of the doubt and refund our one night deposit. I owned and operated two different B&Bs for 15 years and as an innkeeper, I would have refunded the one night to maintain guest relations and to keep a future guest. That is what I would have done as an innkeeper - it is not like they were booked that Sunday night and my canceling kept them from booking someone else. The third night was a Sunday when they were not booked anyway. We were in San Antonio again in September and guess what -- we did not stay at Brackenridge and will not stay there in the future. As an innkeeper, you have to have some flexibility which they did not have.

We booked this B&B in part because of the rave reviews about the host and the breakfasts. Unfortunately the owners were away and breakfast is not served on Christmas (a fact we were not told until after we made our non-refundable reservation). Instead we found 2 sad little plates in our refrigerator, containing an untoasted English muffin, a thin slice of pressed ham lunchmeat and a hardboiled egg with no salt or pepper, a little bowl of grapes, and a couple of grocery-store mini-muffins. Not exactly the convivial 3-course hot homemade Christmas morning breakfast we had anticipated. The dining room was locked and there is no table in the room, so we opted to go out for breakfast rather than balance plates in our laps. On the plus side, the location is great, the room (Hummingbird) was very clean and spacious, the bed was comfortable with quality linens, and there was plenty of hot water for showers or soaking in the charming claw foot rub. Although the antique chair and settee are lovely and appropriate to the period, they aren't particularly comfortable. The location of the room on the first floor in the back of the house makes it very private and quiet (except when trains go by at night) but also means that guests enter it through a rather shabby back porch directly off the parking lot and have to go outside and walk around the house to access the common living and dining areas, which are on the front upstairs. The back porch contains the hot tub (out of order), an ice maker (also out of order), a bistro table with 3 chairs (1 of which had a cushion), an iron and wood park bench with a rotten board, and some bedraggled pot plants and empty pots, and did not appear to have been swept for awhile, judging from the dead leaves. It does not make a welcoming impression to an establishment that aspires to be upscale and charges accordingly. In contrast to the many compliments in reviews about the charming hostess, our brief interactions with the staff member in charge were rather brusque, consisting of her telling us she had forgotten to make any decaf coffee at breakfast (though she had asked us at check in what we preferred) and reminding us as we left the dining room that it was time to check out. It felt like the bum's rush. Overall, while there are positives, we were disappointed in our stay, particularly given the cost relative to value received. We love staying in Bed and Breakfasts for their friendly, welcoming and familial atmosphere and the opportunity to meet and visit with hosts and other guests. We did not feel welcome at Brackenridge House.